The Girl on the Bus (REWRITE/ON HOLD)

13

CHAPTER 13

BLAKE

The pain in my side throbbed and ached constantly but I knew I needed to hide the pain from Van. She already blamed herself I didn't need her to stress herself out even more.

My dad watched me as he stood across from my hospital bed. He hasn't said anything or moved from that spot since he came into the room. His expression was unreadable and the longer he stood there the more awkward it became.

"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to say something?" I snap at him.

"I don't know what you want me to say Blake. You were careless, you-you died." he replies as he shuts his eyes and crosses his arms.

"I did what any guy with morals would do, he was abusive I couldn't let her stay there."

"Blake she's just a girl-"

"She is not just a girl dad!"

"Blake, she isn't the girl for you I promise, she's-"

"I promise you dad she's the one. I-I know we don't know each other very well, but she is different. I can tell, I can see her in my future."

"Is that why you jumped in front of a bullet for her?"

"I already explained it to you dad. She's different she isn't just hanging out with me because of my name."

"I don't want to see you getting hurt because of her. You have so much potential and I don't want it wasted on some girl."

My anger was bubbling to the surface and I was having a hard time holding it back, before I could stop myself the words flowed out.

"You gave up everything for mom."

I watch dads face morph and for the first time in years I actually saw some kind of emotion from him.  

"We are not talking about your mother."

"We should! We haven't talked about her since she died!"

"Blake-"

"Whatever dad, you know I didn't just lose mom when she died, I lost you too."

There's a softness is his eyes as he steps closer to the bed.

"I know Blake, I know I've been the worst father ever, and I know that I've pushed you away. But when your mother died, she took a piece of me with her. I can't help but blame myself for her dying because I was so caught up trying to close a damn business deal."

"I know dad, but how do you think I felt? I was just a kid and both of my parents were gone."

Dad gets quiet again and after a brief pause I decide to break the silence.

"What made mom so special? How did you know she was the one?"

The corners of my dad lips quirked up at the thought of my mother, I know we both missed her and we both needed this.

"Your mother was something special Blake. She had this light about her, she brightened every room she walked into" he recalls with a smile.

"She was selfless and never wanted anything in return for all the good deeds she did. She always put others first and didn't care about the consequences of fighting for what she believed in. She was a fire cracker" he says with a chuckle.

I smile as I listen to dad talk about my mom and I couldn't help my mind wandering to Van. I knew she was sitting in the waiting room, and after all this I just wanted to hold her.

"When I found out Kelly was pregnant with you, I was ecstatic. When we got together, I mean hell it was unconventional, but we loved each other deep down, and we were over joyed to have started our family."

"I think I'm in love with Vanessa" I blurt out.

My dad stiffens and his face pales.

"What?"

"Everything you said about mom, Van was in my head. I haven't felt like this before and when the gun was pointed at us, I wasn't worried about me. I-I was worried about her and making sure she was going to be okay. I - I think I'm in love with her"

"Shit Blake"

I don't know what exactly I was expecting from him but that wasn't it.

"Blake what the hell were you thinking? She's not the girl for you, she doesn't fit in with-"

"Let me stop you now. She is worth more to me than anything you could give me. She may not fit in with your idea of the lovely American dream, but she damn sure fits into mine."

"Blake-"

"No. You have no idea what I've been going through since mom died, so don't start trying to care now."

My dad opens his mouth to speak again when the door creaking grabs our attention. Sandy is standing there with Van, who has tears in her eyes.

"Van"

"I-I need to go" she mumbles before turning on her heel and leaving the room.

"Van wait-" The slamming of the hospital door cuts me off as I glare daggers into my father.

Sandy shakes her head at my father before she leaves the room before calling over her shoulder.

"I'll go talk to her."